Seedless grapevine plant named ‘ARD8’

ABSTRACT

A new distinct variety of grapevine named ‘ARD8’ abundantly forms attractive crispy seedless berries with a red skin coloration, lax and large clusters which display a naturally sweet flavor with the fruit commonly ready for harvesting during August in San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A, and displays good eating qualities as a table grape, with firmness that renders the fruit well amenable for handling, shipping and storage.

Classification: The present invention relates to a new Vitis vinifera Grapevine.

Variety denomination: The new Grapevine has a varietal denomination Seedless Grapevine Plant Named ‘ARD8’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A breeding program was initiated during the late 1990's near Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. In 2011, during this breeding program, a new variety of Vitis vinifera was created by deliberate cross breeding of two parent plants by emasculation of the pollen bearing organ of the female and introducing pollen from another male origin. The female parent of the new variety was HO-65, which is a mid-late red seedless grape with a sweet flavor (non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e. the pollen parent) of the new variety was 60-85+1, a meaty and crispy red seedless variety (non-patented in the United States).

TABLE 1 ‘ARD8’ compared with parents & closely related variety: ‘Flame’ ‘ARD8’ HO-65 60-85+1 (non-patented) Harvest time Late Mid-late Mid-late Very early Berry shape Broad Globose Broad Globose ellipsoid Ellipsoid Density of Lax Lax Medium Tight bunch

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows: HO-65 X 60-85+1

An artificial pollination was created, and the result was an embryo which possessed unique genetic qualities. The rudiments resulting from the above pollination were embryo rescued.

In 2012 the plant was transplanted to Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California.

It was found that the new grapevine of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) Forms attractive crispy seedless berries with a red skin         coloration in lax and large clusters which display a naturally         sweet flavor;     -   (b) Commonly bears fruit during the month of August in the San         Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A.;     -   (c) Bears fruit that is firm and is well amenable for storage,         handling, and shipping; and     -   (d) Produces 42 bunches per vine, and an average of about 1-2         bunches per shoot, at a total of 68 lbs. of fruit per vine.

The new variety during observation to date has displayed no visible disease, and has displayed an ability to well resist cold, drought and heat; but is sensitive to direct exposure to sun and wind. The fruit of the new variety has been found to display excellent handling and shipping qualities combined with desirable dessert eating qualities.

The new variety of the present invention has been found to undergo asexual propagation beginning in 2013 near Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A. by bud grafting on mature ‘Thompson Seedless’ rootstock (non-patented in the United States). Such asexual propagation has been conducted thereafter in successive years to date and has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are strictly transmissible from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true to type manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety ‘ARD8’ is a red seedless table grape with a high production, e.g., about 42 bunches per vine, and an average of about 1-2 bunches per shoot.

Asexual reproduction by micro propagation of the new variety as performed near Bakersfield, Calif., U.S.A., shows that the forgoing and other distinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical six-year-old specimens of the new variety, vegetatively propagated, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in a color illustration of this character. Colors in the photograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description below, which accurately describes the colors of the new Grapevine.

The drawing shows leaves, stems and grapes of ‘ARD8’

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (3^(rd) Edition). The description is based on the observation of plants growing on ‘Thompson Seedless’ rootstock outdoors near San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A.

VINE CHARACTERISTICS: Vigor Vigorous upright shoots Productive capacity Bearing at a natural, average capacity. Spur pruning. Trunk Strong and developed. Diameter is 2.3 inches at 12.3 inches above ground. Rough with a fibrous, shaggy exterior. Light maple brown coloring greyed orange 166B

Date of bud burst in Bakersfield Calif.: March 2^(nd)

YOUNG SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS: Openness of tip Wide open Density of prostrate hairs on tip Absent or very sparse Anthocyanin coloration of prostrate None hairs on tip Density of erect hairs on tip Absent or very sparse

YOUNG LEAF CHARACTERISTICS: Color of upper side of blade Yellow green 152A Color of lower side of blade Yellow green 152A Density of erect hairs between main Absent or very sparse veins on upper side of blade Density of erect hairs between main Absent or very sparse veins on lower side of blade Density of prostrate hairs on main Absent or very sparse veins on upper side of blade Density of prostrate hairs on main Absent or very sparse veins on lower side of blade

SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS: Attitude (before tying) Semi-erect Color of dorsal side of internodes Yellow green 144B Color of ventral side of internodes Yellow green 144A Color of dorsal side of nodes Yellow green 144B Color of ventral side of nodes Yellow green 144A Density of erect hairs on internodes Absent or very sparse Density of prostrate hairs on Absent or very sparse internodes Length of tendrils 6.7 inches Diameter of tendrils 0.1 inches Color of tendrils Yellow green 145A Number of tendrils at bloom 3 Positioning of first flowering and The first bunch is in fruiting node the 3^(rd) node Inflorescence number per flowering 1-2 shoot

FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS: Reproductive organs Fully developed stamens and fully developed gynoecium Flower length 0.3 inches Flower diameter 0.25 inches Pistil length 0.11 inches Pistil color Green 143A Pollen Amount Poor Pollen color Yellow 11A Stamen color Yellow green 144A Stamen length 0.15 inches Number of stamen 6

First bloom in Bakersfield, Calif.: April 30^(th)

Date of full bloom in Bakersfield, Calif.: May 5^(th)

MATURE LEAF CHARACTERISTICS: Size of blade 7.5 inches × 7.5 inches Shape of blade Pentagonal Base descriptors Pentagonal Leaf margin Doubly serrate Leaf apex Acute Blistering of upper side of blade Weak Depth of upper lateral sinuses Absent or very shallow Number of lobes Five (Only varieties with lobed leaves) Closed Arrangement of lobes of upper lateral sinuses Arrangement of lobes of petiole Wide open sinus Length of teeth 0.65 inches Ratio length/width of teeth Medium Shape of teeth Both sides convex Density of prostrate hairs between Absent or very sparse main veins on lower side of blade Density of erect hairs on main veins Medium on lower side of blade Density of erect hairs between the Absent or very sparse main veins on upper side of blade Density of prostrate hairs on main Absent or very sparse veins on upper side of blade Length of petiole compared to length Moderately shorter of middle vein Top side color Green 137A Bottom side color Yellow green 147B Texture of upper side of blade Rough Texture of lower side of blade Rough Vein color on upper blade Yellow green 145B Vein color on lower blade Yellow green 145D Venation pattern for upper blade Netlike venation Venation patten for lower blade Netlike venation Petiole length 6 inches Petiole diameter 0.14 inches Petiole color Yellow green 145A Petiole texture Smooth

Date of beginning of berry ripening in Bakersfield Calif.: July 28^(th)

BUNCH CHARACTERISTICS: Size (peduncle excluded) Large Density of berries on bunch Lax Bunch length 9 inches Bunch diameter 7 inches Length of peduncle of primary bunch 1.1 inches Diameter of peduncle of primary 0.14 inches bunch Peduncle of primary bunch color Yellow green 144C Peduncle texture Smooth Bunches per vine 42 Average bunch weight 1.62 lbs

BERRY CHARACTERISTICS: Size Large Length 1.2 inches Weight 0.39 oz Diameter 0.98 inches Shape Broad ellipsoid Color of skin (without bloom) Red 53A Flesh color Greyed green 192C Brix 23.1 Titrabable acidity percentage 0.49% Juice 3.86 pH Ease of detachment from pedicel Moderately easy Thickness of skin Thin Anthocyanin coloration of flesh None Firmness of flesh Moderately firm Particular flavor Naturally sweet Formation of seeds None Berries per bunch 79

PEDICEL CHARACTERISTICS: Length 0.42 inches Diameter 0.09 inches Color Yellow green 145C Pedicel texture Smooth

WOODY SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS: Woody shoot texture Rough Woody shoot color Greyed orange 177B Woody shoot length 164 inches Diameter 0.43 inches Internode length 4.48 inches

Market use of observed plants: Fresh market

AGE AND GROWING CONDITIONS

Six years growing under Y system in South Joaquin Valley (hot, dry summers).

SHIPPING CHARACTERISTICS

Fruit was in cold storage. Stored in poly bags inside Styrofoam boxes with sulfur pads. After 60 Days: rachises were 90% green; 20% berry shattering; no berry wrinkling or cracks were apparent.

DNA PROFILE

To further the characterize the new variety DNA was extracted from plant samples and a DNA profile was obtained in California USA using base pairs for 10 standard microsatellite DNA markers. The data is presented hereafter.

TABLE 2 DNA profile for ‘ARDS’ Microsatellite DNA Allele Sizes Marker in Base Pairs M1 228 236 M2 249 253 M3 181 194 M4 212 216 M5 251 273 M6 151 151 M7 189 189 M8 247 247 M9 214 214  M10 247 247

The ‘ARD8’ variety has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.

Additional information relating to plant and fruit disease and pest resistance or susceptibility has not been observed to date. Specification of the plant hardiness zone and the heat/cold resistance has not been observed to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct grapevine plant, botanically known as Vitis vinifera, identified as ‘ARD8’, substantially as shown and described herein. 